Adhesive structure



Feb. 12, 1952 H. H. TALBOYS 2,585,515

ADHESIVE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 19, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 17673717 ]&/&@$ 9 @MM M Feb. 12, 1952 H. TALBOYS 2,585,515

ADHESIVE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 19, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Inven i0)" fi e)??? E Y/oys Patented F eb. 12, 1 952 UNITED PATENT ,0F'FI-CE.=

2,585,515,. ADHESIVE STRUCTURE HenryH'.; '1-alboys, Milwaukee- Wh; Application-January .19, masenal no. 71,106:

invention relates to an improvement" inadhesive. structure.

Qne object of my invention is'to provide a durable, flexible, adhesive structure which is easily applied to, smooth surfaces such as glass, metal or wood.

nother object is to provide ad-urable, flexible, adhesive; structure which; may be used an indefinite number of times because-it loses none of its adhesive quality-in the course of its normal use;

Anotherobiectis to provideadurabl'e'. flexible, adhesive structure: which may be produced orsoldt-in any desiredsize or shape, depending uponthe purposes forwhich the structure is to be used.

Other-objects will appear from time to time throughoutv the specification and claims.

This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in. the. accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the connecting sheet 4 and the suction-cups Figure 2;.is asectionalong line: 2--2-, of Figure 1, showing a variant form of the, device and showing the, cupsin a staggeredpattern;

3jisasection along line t -3 of Figure. 1, showing the same variant form. ofthe device as is shown by Figure 2, but not illustrating a staggered pattern of the cups;

Figure 4 is a section along line 33 of Figure 1, showing a second variant form of the device;

Figure 5 is a section along line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing a third variant form of the device;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a variant form of my invention, showing a construction in which a plurality of relatively, closely spaced suctioncups, at or near the edges of the structure, surrounds an area in which other suction-cups are relatively, sparsely spaced.

Figure 7 is a section along the line 1-1 of Figure 6, showing parts in perspective and illustrates a composite structure of my invention in which some of the suction-cups are partially above and partially below the connection sheet, as in Figure 3, and in which other suction-cups are entirely above the connecting sheet, as in Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a section on an enlarged scale through a form of my invention in which at least two difierent materials are employed.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings.

The form of adhesive material produced extensively in the form of tape is satisfactory for such purposes as securing a bandage to human used and in the length of time-and numberof applications. in which it canbe employed any" one type of use. For'example, it can seldom;

ever, be efilciently used again after having, oncebeen removed from the. surface to whichit had originally'been applied. Similarly; the durationof any application is necessarily limited by'contact with moisture, or even bythe effect of 'aboveaverage temperatures. After ,a fairly short length of time, such adhesive material will begin to loosen at the edges or corners. Upon being'removed such adhesive has a characteristic of 1eav-.

ing some of the sticky adhesive 'matterupon' the" gum, type of adhesive material and'would have a much greater range of uses and applications than the single cup or dual cups used for the purpose of fixing some single object to asurf'ace; My invention may be thought of" primarily-as a convenient, flexible, opaque sheet: which could besimply and-efficiently applied to any suitable surface. Sheets of this structure could, formstance, be, applied to the inside surface of" windows when shades are not available or arein feasible, or when a complete blackout is necessary. They could be easily removed at the proper time and used many times again. Such sheets could also be easily shaped to fit automobile windows and could be applied when the automobile had to be parked in the sun.

Another use of this invention would be in connection with rugs on slippery floors. A sheet of this structure out to the proportions of a rug of any size, and placed under the rug so that the sheet would adhere to the floor, would make slippage of the rug almost impossible.

The sheet 4 and the suction-cups 5 are constructed integrally in all the forms shown except that shown in Figure 8. The figures show several possible difierent constructions. Figure 2, a section along line 22 of Figure 1, showing a variant form of the device and showing the cups in a staggered pattern, shows a construction wherein the flat or main surface of the sheet joins the cups between the rims and the upper closed extremitie of the cups. This figure also demonstrates the appearance, in elevation, of a staggered arrangement of the cups. Figure 3 shows the same construction without indicating a staggered arrangement of the cups. Figure 4 illustrates a construction in which no portion of the 3 cups 5 rise above the surface of the sheet 4. Figure 5 shows a construction in which no portion of the cups 5 extends below the surface of the sheet 4.

One advantage of this form of the structure would be in covering an area in which it was necessary or possible to cause the structure to adhere to a surface which was available primarily about the edges but at only a few points adjacent to the inner portions of the structure. An example of such a situation is the case of a broken window, in which it would be possible to flx the edges of the structure to the window frame at many points, but at relatively few points nearer the center of the structure because of the area where no suitable surface would be pres-..

ent to which the inner portions of the structure could be made to adhere. In the case of a large opening, which would exist if all the glass had been removed from a broken window, there would be no inner surface of the portion to which the inner section of the structure could be made to adhere, and in such a case it would not be necessary to have any suction-cupsother than the closely spaced cups about the edges of thestructure.

In the case of each of the constructions shown in Figures 2 3, 4, '7, and 8, the application of pressure in fixing the invention to 'the desired surface could be begun at any point. In the caseof the construction illustrated in Figure 5, it would be more efficient to begin the application of such pressure at or near the center, thence working out, or at any edge or corner and thence working constantly away from the point of beginning, in'order that the air displaced from the cups could escape.

Although the use of rubber for both the cups and the connection sheet is convenient and practical, other materials might also successfully be used in either the connecting sheet or the suction-cups or in both.

There is illustrated, for example, in Figure 8 a structure similar to that shown in Figure 4 but which includes cups 511 of rubber or of a rubber-like material. The cups 5a' are suitably secured, by vulcanizing or otherwise, to a' sheet la which may be "of fabric, metal, plastic, or

any other suitable material, preferably having enough elasticity or flexibility to render it easy to handle. For the purpose of covering large areas, however, it would be advisable to cause the sheet 40. to have a lesser degree of flexibility than the suction-cups 5a which are secured to it.

Although I have shown an operative form of my invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape, and arrangement of parts can be made without departing'from the spirit of the invention, and 'my showing is therefore to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

I claim:

1. In combination, in an adhesive structure, a plurality of flexible suction cups the interior surfaces of said flexible suction cups being smooth 1 Number and substantially free of inwardly projecting protuberances, and a means for connecting said suction cups consisting of a sheet which integrally joins said suction cups at a point intermediate the deepest points of saidcups and the rims thereof, said connecting sheet being of uniform thickness throughout and the entire surface of said connecting sheet being above the rims of said cups.

cups and the rims thereof, said connecting sheet being of uniform thicknessv throughout and the entire surface ofsaid connecting sheet being above the rims of said cup's HENRY n. TALBQYS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: i a

UN1TED STATES PATENTS Name Date 613,487

Brewer Jan. 4,1927

' Bell Nov; 1; 1898 

